All We Know of Heaven

Nov 17, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, trt-gold-star-award-winner

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I have read and reviewed many books over the past two years that have impressed me. I have read only a handful, however, that have touched me as deeply as ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN. This is a book that's hard to describe in detail, due mainly to the fact that I don't want to give too much of the story away. Suffice it to say, however, that it's a story that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

Two girls, Bridget and Maureen, who are so similar...more Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

I have read and reviewed many books over the past two years that have impressed me. I have read only a handful, however, that have touched me as deeply as ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN. This is a book that's hard to describe in detail, due mainly to the fact that I don't want to give too much of the story away. Suffice it to say, however, that it's a story that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page.

Two girls, Bridget and Maureen, who are so similar and yet so different at the same time. They have nearly identical body shapes, have the same colored hair and eyes, and even share many of the same mannerisms and characteristics. They've been best friends for several years, and yet there's a part of Maureen that understands that Bridget considers her to be her friend out of convenience, and for what she can provide for her.

Then there is an accident, a deadly one, and the lives of two girls and their families are forever changed. One girl dies, one girl lives. One family buries their daughter, one rejoices and yet fears over the fact that their daughter, now forever changed, lies unconscious and unknowing in a hospitable bed. Yet through it all, interspersed throughout the pages of the story, are the tangled thoughts of a young woman, who is unable to grasp even the simplest words and put them to the images she sees, yet who understands the concept that she's not the girl everyone seems to think she is.

The wrong daughter buried, the wrong family rejoicing. Fear, regret, heartbreak, happiness, hope -- and with it all, through it all, tinged by it all, lies guilt. Guilt that one girl survived, and one didn't. Guilt that one mother once hoped her daughter might die, to spare them all the pain of a long recovery. Guilt that one family's prayers seemed to be answered, and another's joy was cut short.

Guilt that one girl is not the other, could never be the other, and yet seems to be stepping into the life that girl left behind.

Jacquelyn Mitchard can write. She writes so well, in fact, that the reader is unable to step outside of the story of Maureen and Bridget once they've begun reading it. You can feel the pain, the happiness, the sorrow. You understand, and you grieve, and you rejoice, right along with the characters of ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN. This is a story you won't soon forget -- nor will you want to. (less)

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May 01, 2013 Ashley Reed rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. What did I think of All We Know of Heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard? I loved it! It’s not a difficult read, but it’s not like 3rd grade reading. The author didn’t make everything up; she definitely romanticized some of it. I liked how there was the background love story, and how a high school student can relate to a lot of it! (Maybe not the car accident…but you know.)

First, even though this is a non-fiction story, some of it WAS in fact made up. The author didn’t just type a bunch of facts on a pag...more

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Dec 14, 2012 Yasmeen rated it 5 of 5 stars

By Yasmeen Mufti (Grade 10)

All We Know of Heaven is a phenomenal novel written by the author Jacquelyn Mitchard that I could not put down. It’s a story based on two very similar looking girls, Bridget Flannery and Maureen O’Malley. Both cheerleaders, blonde with green eyes and both were in a severe car accident. Maureen ended dead while Bridget ended up in a coma. After the doctors go back over the tests, they soon realise that they had made a terrible mistake, the one who actually died was not...more By Yasmeen Mufti (Grade 10)

All We Know of Heaven is a phenomenal novel written by the author Jacquelyn Mitchard that I could not put down. It’s a story based on two very similar looking girls, Bridget Flannery and Maureen O’Malley. Both cheerleaders, blonde with green eyes and both were in a severe car accident. Maureen ended dead while Bridget ended up in a coma. After the doctors go back over the tests, they soon realise that they had made a terrible mistake, the one who actually died was not Maureen it was actually Bridget. This story deals with death, hope, strength, love and the power of mind over matter. It’s inspirational and its novel that is new and exciting in every single paragraph.

Jacquelyn Mitchard does a great job playing with the emotions of the reader. It’s like being on a boat; you don’t know how big the next wave is going to be. Well in this case, page. Mitchard makes the reader go from being depressed, to anxious, to distraught, to even being passionate about young love. Mitchard made me fall in love with both the protagonist, Maureen and with the antagonist Kitt Flannery, Bridget’s mother. It is usually difficult to do, most stories that you read you fall in love essentially with the “good” character and despise the “bad” character. This author made the reader sympathetic to both and made both of them “bad.” Mitchard kept the novel flowing, with excitement on every page. She created relationships between characters that the readers would never expect. It’s a book that hard to stop reading.

The protagonist Maureen is at first weak, selfish, and a follower. But then throughout the book the reader watch her change into a leader, independent and strong. At the beginning Maureen was always depended on someone whether it’s Bridget, her mom or her boyfriend, Danny. Then near the end of the novel she sends him a letter explaining how she doesn’t need him anymore of how she needs to live life on her own, “And I have to face school and the world on my own, without Danny Carmody to stick up for me.” (part 3, pg, 238) Maureen’s character inspires girls to be powerful and to never give up. She is character that in some levels is very similar to me, a fifteen year old girl. The girl who tries to fit in and used to follow people around to become “popular” but then, like Maureen, I realised that the only way I am going to get through this life is by being strong and independent. Maureen I had to deal with death of her best friend, having speech and walking disabilities, due to the accident, and yet she has do all of this with hormones raging and being in the most daunting place, high school.

Although this novel is based on teenagers, and it mostly relates to teenage girls. I personally recommend it for surprisingly. Mothers. The novel illustrates the way both Maureen’s mother and Bridget’s mother felt about their children. Their tears, their emotions and the way they dealt with such a tragic and yet blessed circumstance. How Maureen’s mother lost her only child, had a funeral, and began to pack her things then being told her baby is still alive. Or Bridget’s mother has her baby survive but then slip right through her fingers. It is a very interesting relationship between the mothers and very interesting contrast of the way they both deal with this situation. I am so grateful that my teacher pointed this novel out to me it is definitely a book I highly recommend and one that will stay with me even though I finished the last page.
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Nov 25, 2012 Michael Byrd rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was quite an interesting book to say the least. The book consisted of romance, mystery and that lovely roller coaster effect that you get when read a book like this; first you’re happy with high hopes and then you’re terribly sad and depressed. This was a well written book and had characters that were not perfect, yet admirable.

To begin, the book was based on a tragic story about two teenaged girls that were involved in a horrible vehicle accident. Although, I knew the general plot prior t...more This was quite an interesting book to say the least. The book consisted of romance, mystery and that lovely roller coaster effect that you get when read a book like this; first you’re happy with high hopes and then you’re terribly sad and depressed. This was a well written book and had characters that were not perfect, yet admirable.

To begin, the book was based on a tragic story about two teenaged girls that were involved in a horrible vehicle accident. Although, I knew the general plot prior to reading this book I was still caught by one of the major plot twists in the story. I think this is because the author, Jacquelyn Mitchard, allowed the book to develop enough in such a way that it gave sufficient background information about the teenage girls which allowed the reader to be able to relate and feel sympathetic towards the situation. Personally, I couldn’t even begin to understand the terrible grief that the parents must have felt. When I told my mother about the story she was distraught. I really enjoyed how the author took this real-life situation and beautifully conveyed it into a book.

Next, I want to address the Jacquelyn Mitchard’s writing. At first I had no idea what the italic writing that randomly appeared throughout the beginnings of the reading. Then I had an “Ah-ha!” moment and I realized that it was Maureen’s thoughts. After my late realization of this I enjoyed it a lot. Also the third person writing, at first I didn’t like it that much and I wondered why the book wasn’t written in first person but then I wondered from who’s point of view should the book be written and if the readers would be able to reach the depth of the writing that was achievable with a third person point of view.

For being one of the first non-fiction books that I’ve read in a while, it was quite enjoyable. It also removed the stereotype that I’ve created that most non-fiction books are dry and uninteresting. This was quite the contrary. I would recommend this book to any teenage girl. Aside from being the exact demographic that this book appeals to, I think that this will be a book that most teenage girls would be able to relate with.
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Nov 25, 2012 Marc Deitsch rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was one that I did not think that I would ever read. This is because just of how it looks from the outside and because I had originally chosen to read a different book for one of my classes at school. I originally was going to read some book about Mount Everest but decided upon this one at the last minute because the story line of two girls being in a crash and then doctors mixing up who really died seemed more interesting.

One of the things that I disliked about the book was how fast...more This book was one that I did not think that I would ever read. This is because just of how it looks from the outside and because I had originally chosen to read a different book for one of my classes at school. I originally was going to read some book about Mount Everest but decided upon this one at the last minute because the story line of two girls being in a crash and then doctors mixing up who really died seemed more interesting.

One of the things that I disliked about the book was how fast it was in the beginning because it seemed to me that it sort of jumped around a lot just to set up the plot and the story for the reader. I often was confused because in some parts of this book it would be actually inside the mind of what Maureen or of what Bridget was thinking and at first I wasn’t able to tell if one of the girls was actually talking out loud for everyone to hear or if they were just thinking to themselves.

I absolutely despised Kitt Flannery. I hated how in the beginning of the book she seemed like she liked everyone and got along with everyone, but through out the book she changed to someone who was selfish and ignorant. I mean I know I would be upset too if my son/daughter was said to be alive but then was found out to be really their best friend, but she wasn’t even happy for the O’Malley’s like the O’Malley’s were for her when Bridget was said to be alive, she was just selfish and acted like the whole world revolved around her. And she also tried to make Maureen’s life even more of a hell than what it already was which also really pissed me off because why would you try to do that to someone else’s daughter when you know you wouldn’t do that to your own.

Something else that I was confused of was the part in the book of when the author decided to share the day when Danny and Maureen were together alone by themselves and they had a “thing” together. I don’t understand why if he could tell everything to Maureen and keep things a secret between him and Bridget then why is he even with Bridget? I came to this conclusion as I hope everyone else had a prediction as well. What I think is that maybe Bridget kind of forced her way into a relationship with Danny or maybe Danny and Maureen just kind of had that brother sister type of relationship and didn’t want to ruin it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is maybe interested in being a doctor at a hospital because then they could see a huge mistake that could be made after a terrible accident so they can avoid that mistake or to anyone that is interested in these types of non-fiction books.(less)

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May 08, 2012 Sara rated it 3 of 5 stars

I thought this was a good book, but it had one major problem--believability. Okay, I know this situation of a bad accident and thinking it was one person who died but it was actually the other has happened in the past, and I'm fine with that. I'm fine that they made a book about it. What I'm not fine with is how unbelievable everything else is. Like the girl who survived happened to be the nicer of the two. The girl who survived's family is more religious than the other family. They also didn't...more

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Apr 17, 2012 Rachie wong rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book "All We Know Of Heaven" was not the type of book I would recommend on a daily basis. It's quite in interesting book, but at the same time, its not quite moving. I do have to say that the beginning was a bore and the end was quite a delicate story. The interesting part was the beginning even though it was boring.
How two girls lost their lives, but only one survived. Only one was in a coma. The incident which took one girl's lives, split the two family apart. Maureen and Bidget. Could yo...more The book "All We Know Of Heaven" was not the type of book I would recommend on a daily basis. It's quite in interesting book, but at the same time, its not quite moving. I do have to say that the beginning was a bore and the end was quite a delicate story. The interesting part was the beginning even though it was boring.
How two girls lost their lives, but only one survived. Only one was in a coma. The incident which took one girl's lives, split the two family apart. Maureen and Bidget. Could you have told them apart?
There is one quotation that I loved and that is on Page 122 "We understand now in part but will understand all in time. We aren't given to understand what happened, but we need to rejoice for both of these girls, for one has gone home to god and the other has come home, like the lost lamb,to her family."
That verse split the two families apart because of a switch a roo in the incident. No one could tell them apart besides the inside look of their teeth. I was surprised because I thought "man, when is the good part going to come in? This is a boring book." Then I thought, patience is the only personality that you need to read this book. If I were one of the mother's of course I would be disappointed if I lost my daughter, but I know that as long as the other girl is still alive, half of the other girl is still there with her. Two best friends lives in one body.
The only thing I don't like about this book is how they make you wait until 'almost' the end of the book. I also hate the part where Kitt, Bridget's mother, made fun of Maureen for being alive. Living instead of her own daughter. On Page 223 to 229 is how Kitt talked brutally to Maureen just because she's alive. Losing a daughter to a neighbor that lives across the streets is a heart breaking situation, but that girl, Maureen. Has one part of Bridget. Bridget is still there with her family and friends even though she went with god. She's still watching over them. Also how Kitt wanted to hurt and blame Maureen when she did nothing wrong.
Even though the part where she did admit she pushed her and how Maureen is still trying to get her movement back, Kitt takes the advantage of hurting her.
There is also one person I like in the novel and that is Danny. He helped Maureen pass the hard times and move forward to the future.
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Feb 29, 2012 Homewood Public Library rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

16-year-olds Bridget and Maureen have been friends since elementary school. Nicknamed the Dyno Mytes, both girls are blonde with green eyes and are exactly the same height. Both are cheerleaders, and on the way home from practice one snowy night, the car veers over the yellow line and into the path of an oncoming big rig. The car is mangled, "the hood was smashed sideways, the wheels up off the ground." It "looked as if it had been wrung out like a wet towel." Both girls were unrecognizable, but...more

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May 10, 2011 Jason Yeung rated it 1 of 5 stars

All we know of heaven, a novel by Jacquelyn Mitchard is about 2 teenage girls that have been best friends since kindergarten, and grew up together. It all starts when Maureen O’Malley and Bridget Flannery finished cheerleading practice and were on their drive home for Christmas Break.

Right when it was building up to them driving home, the next chapter started off with them already in the scene, injured, with paramedics and everything – which I didn’t like at all. It happened too early in the bo...more All we know of heaven, a novel by Jacquelyn Mitchard is about 2 teenage girls that have been best friends since kindergarten, and grew up together. It all starts when Maureen O’Malley and Bridget Flannery finished cheerleading practice and were on their drive home for Christmas Break.

Right when it was building up to them driving home, the next chapter started off with them already in the scene, injured, with paramedics and everything – which I didn’t like at all. It happened too early in the book, and it would’ve been more entertaining if the author had written about how they crashed. Was she not paying attention? Was there another car that hit them? That was what I had thought at the time, until I kept reading further. I guess they did a good job of integrating what happened into the book.

“They crossed right in front of me, on my mother’s grave if I’m lying! They didn’t see me none! I wouldn’t ever hurt anyone. I wasn’t going but forty! All I had to get to was the Days Inn up there a mile! The snow ‘n’ all! One more mile!” The trucker told the police.

The only part that I liked was when they were about to find out that it was Maureen in the coma, instead of Bridget. They lead up to it really well, with the doctors suddenly rising suspicion. We usually don’t hear about these incidents about getting them confused, because they were so battered up that you couldn’t tell, but instead, their dental history spoke for their identities.

The thing that I really disliked was that the author used so many characters that weren’t really the main topic but were just background characters. Mitchard would mention this person once, without really bringing them attention, and then later on in the book mention them again, and I would get so confused about who this character is and how he/she relates to the situation.

I think that after they found out who was who, the book went really slowly. For the next 100 pages or so it is about everybody mourning, and highly unentertaining. This book overall was just unentertaining. It went too slow, and there wasn’t enough drama, and could’ve been a lot better with the plot.
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Jul 03, 2010 Kit rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wish I had read this instead of My Sister's Keeper, because it covers some of the same emotional territory but is much, much better.

Maureen and Bridget are inseparable best friends who look enough alike to be twins. When they're in a horrible car accident, everyone assumes that Maureen was killed and Bridget is unresponsive in a coma. Actually, Bridget was driving Maureen's car, and after weeks, Maureen wakes up to find that her parents think she is dead and Bridget's parents think she is thei...more

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May 01, 2013 Haley Reed rated it 4 of 5 stars

I thought that this was a pretty good book. At first, I didn’t get into the story. But once I kept reading, I actually liked the book! I usually like nonfiction novels, so this was right down my ally. The author acknowledges that although this story is based on true events, a horrible accident and mixed identities, while all the ‘meat’ in the story is made up. Despite that fact, this book still has a ring of authenticity to it that makes it all the more touching and moving. I only gave ‘All We...more I thought that this was a pretty good book. At first, I didn’t get into the story. But once I kept reading, I actually liked the book! I usually like nonfiction novels, so this was right down my ally. The author acknowledges that although this story is based on true events, a horrible accident and mixed identities, while all the ‘meat’ in the story is made up. Despite that fact, this book still has a ring of authenticity to it that makes it all the more touching and moving. I only gave ‘All We Know of Heaven’ book three stars because there were some parts in the plot that, personally, I did not like. Three things that I did like, however, was the main character’s determination, the support the main character got from her family, and the author’s writing style.

The main character’s name in this book is Maureen O’Malley. She is such an inspiration! She tried so hard to achieve all that she has now. I feel like many people can look to her as a role model. Most people would just give up and let themselves die after such a traumatic experience. Maureen shows true strength when she pushed through all the discrimination and physical and mental obstacles. She may have shown some weakness at times, she is human after all, but she was able to achieve almost exactly the life she may have had before her tragic accident.

I do not think that Maureen would have made it, if it weren’t for the amazing family that supported her. There were times in which Maureen grew so frustrated with her lack of abilities that she just wanted to give up and she probably would have if her mom and especially her dad hadn’t pushed her to her limits. I feel like her dad is one of the strongest forces behind her amazing recovery. It really touched me to read about the great love that the O’Malley’s have for Maureen. One of her brothers even left college to be there for her. I think it was my favorite part in the whole book; reading about the love and support that they showered on her.

I also liked the author’s writing style. Jacquelyn Mitchard had a simplistic way of writing that went straight to the point. But she also wrote is a way that flowed across the page in a very readable manner. I know that I got drawn into the book and finished it almost instantly and then finished it that day! It actually took me a little to get into the book, but that may just be because I procrastinate all the time. Once I got my butt into gear, I really liked this book.

So over all I gave this book a four out of five stars. I thought it was really good! I think that other high school students would enjoy this, as well as adults. I think this is more of a girl book, but guys may like it as well. I found it really inspiring! I did not give it a five, because I did not like the character Danny. My friends did, but there was just something about him and his actions that I just irritated me. Besides that, I thought this was a good read and that you should give it a try and if you do, to stick to it. Trust me!
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Feb 25, 2012 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebooks, 2012, reviewed, favorites, contemporary, young-adult

This novel was inspired by a true story. It is about two girls, Bridget and Maureen, who are so alike and yet so different at the same time. They look quite similar, they have the same colour hair and eyes, and they are the same height. The two have been best friends since they were small children.

One night while travelling home from a cheerleading practice, there is an accident, an extremely serious one, and the lives of these two girls are changed forever. One girl dies while the other one sur...more

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Apr 26, 2009 JACLYN☻☺☻☺☻☺☻☺☻♥♥♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Maureen O' Malley and BFF Bridget Flannery get in a car crash on an icy road. The crash kills one girl and batters the other so badly its hard to tell who is who. Everyone had believed that Bridget was the one that survived and so many people attended Maureen's funeral. After long care, doctor's finally realized that they had mixed up the identities. The girl buried under a tombstone that read "MAUREEN ANN O' MALLEY. BEAUTIFUL DREAMER, WAKE UNTO ME.", was Bridget Flannery. The girl whom they hav...more

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May 23, 2012 Christelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

BEAUTIFUL.

I commend the author for weaving such a complex, delicate, and intriguing story.

She never wanted to make the character perfect, rather they are all admirable, heart-breaking, and wonderfully imperfect.

Also, the romance was beautiful. The couple had many very realistic challenges to overcome. I also appreciated the emotional and thought-processing that went on with the couple. They had to analyze their relationship and really examine why they were together and whether they actually SHOU...more

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May 03, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

“All we know of heaven” is definitely not a book I would pick up and read. This book changed my idea about non-fiction books. I never thought I would enjoy any nonfiction books because I always thought they were boring for some reason. I was wrong even though this book started of super slow for me it got really exciting a few chapters in. I give this book 3 stars just because it started out slow but it did pick up. I like the whole story plot, this book is about two best friends Maureen and Brid...more “All we know of heaven” is definitely not a book I would pick up and read. This book changed my idea about non-fiction books. I never thought I would enjoy any nonfiction books because I always thought they were boring for some reason. I was wrong even though this book started of super slow for me it got really exciting a few chapters in. I give this book 3 stars just because it started out slow but it did pick up. I like the whole story plot, this book is about two best friends Maureen and Bridget. They are practically identical, but they got into a huge car accident. They both got badly injured and the doctors mixed up their identities. Bridget doesn’t make it sadly. Some things I really love about this book are Jacquelyn Mitchard writing, the character Maureen, and the plot.

Jacquelyn Mitchard can definitely write .At first I was kind of bored and confused but the book really got exciting. She is an amazing writer thought out this book I went through so many emotions. I felt happiness, depress, angry, sad, and probably many other. I think Jacquelyn’s goal was to try and make her readers feel emotions because she wanted to get people into her book. I think this is a great idea because I was really engaged with this novel and I couldn’t put it down.
I love the plot its so interesting. This book was based on a true story which made it even more interesting.I just cant believe this actually happen in real life.Even though this book started off slow I still enjoyed it. I love the romance between Danny and Maureen. I think its really cute how danny helps Maureen recover. I also like the many stuggles Maureen has to go through. Thought out this book It shows that life isn’t always easy and everyone is going to stuggle in life but weather you are willing to give up or try.

Maureen was one of my favorite character in this book. She changed so much through out the story first she was a follower. Maureen in the beginning of the book depended on everyone, Danny, her mom, etc. By the end of the book Maureen really did take a stand. She became strong and independent. She didn’t need help anymore and she could do anything she put her mind to . For example she even went to college.

Overall I thought this book was okay. It started out slow but it does get exciting. This book will make you feel so many emotions I really recommend that you read it.
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Aug 12, 2011 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 30, 2013 Susana Duffy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Oddly enough, I liked this book. Normally I dont like non fiction books and I was dissappointed when this unit rolled around, but, thankfully this book was just partially nonfiction. I read in the acknowlegements that the author only used the main plot of the real life story. She didn't make up the accident or that the hospital mistook the girls identity but she did make up everything else (which is, essentially the rest of the book). So......yeah.

The author added almost everything after the cr...more Oddly enough, I liked this book. Normally I dont like non fiction books and I was dissappointed when this unit rolled around, but, thankfully this book was just partially nonfiction. I read in the acknowlegements that the author only used the main plot of the real life story. She didn't make up the accident or that the hospital mistook the girls identity but she did make up everything else (which is, essentially the rest of the book). So......yeah.

The author added almost everything after the crash and the mix up. I sort of knew that because I was like, "how does the author know all these friggin thoughts that the main character has." Seriously, I was so troubled by that. Theres that and I was weirded out that the author knew all these intimate details about the main characters personal relationships with her boyfriend and her family and friends. I'm glad she did this.If she didn't this book would have been unbearbly boring and no one would read it. That if why I think she did make most of it fiction. I didnt know she did all that until i got to the end and read the acknowlegement by the way.

The fictional front that the author created pissed me off at times. I really hated some characters, and in a book, thats a good thing. The autor wants to get you to have some kind of emotional response to characters and events, thats part of the reason people write books isnt it? The girl who dieds Mom was the one who pissed me off hte most. I'm just going to let you imagin what kind of b*$#@y things that she did until you read this book.

Then theres her relationship. There is this boy that use to date her best friend, bu then her best friend died and they eventually get together. Yeah its really compicated. I'll just let you read it, but let me tell you how I feel about it. Theres not a whole lot that I feel about their relationship actually, I just wanted this review to have a little suspence....then theres me ruining it. This is why I dont write books. Going on, I was indifferent to their realtionship. I saw nothing wrong with it like some of my group members did. I mean, the girls dead, life goes on, dont do drugs etc, etc.

So All in all, I would say teens would mainly like this book, if you were ever mistaken for your dead friend sort of teens in particular. Which I wasn't, so this book wasn't the bees knees for me, yet it wasn't tragically horrible, but it was tragic. (less)

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Jan 30, 2009 BAYA Librarian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic

* Inspired by a true and tragic story of mistaken identity, Mitchard's first teen novel, "All We Know of Heaven," explores what happens when look-alike best friends are involved in a fatal car accident. Emergency crews desperately try to save both Maureen and Bridget. In the first frantic minutes of the rescue, the girl's identities are confused. One girl dies and the other lingers in a coma. Maureen's family holds a funereal. Bridget's family prays their daughter will regain consciousness. But...more

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Aug 28, 2012 Jess rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I got through this book pretty quickly. It's a great YA read on the surface; the subject matter, and in particular, the description of the car accident and the short- and long-term reactions of those affected, is gritty and intense. The ragged, raw emotions experienced by Bridget's mother, and her interactions with the other characters, were powerful and believable. Mitchard writes dialogue well, too, a big bonus for me.

All that said, there were elements of the novel that were entirely unbeliev...more

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Dec 13, 2012 jonathan rated it 2 of 5 stars

I would not recommend this book at all, because I found the novel, all we know of heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard rather dull and boring. I hated the fact that the author only focuses on the characters that are alive, and pays no respect to the dead ones. One tremendous flaw this book had was predictability. It was easy to foretell the next events, and the problems the character would have to face, as long as you knew the plot. It was quite simple to foreshadow the outcome of this story.

I found it...more I would not recommend this book at all, because I found the novel, all we know of heaven by Jacquelyn Mitchard rather dull and boring. I hated the fact that the author only focuses on the characters that are alive, and pays no respect to the dead ones. One tremendous flaw this book had was predictability. It was easy to foretell the next events, and the problems the character would have to face, as long as you knew the plot. It was quite simple to foreshadow the outcome of this story.

I found it interesting yet boring, that the author, Jacquelyn just give us a general view of the accident and of Bridget, and then jumps to the love story between Danny and Maureen. Danny, Bridget’s boyfriend, who isn’t even mentioned in the plot of the story, plays an even more important role than Bridget, who is supposed to have the same importance as Maureen. It’s like they completely forgot about Bridget when the relationships between Danny and Maureen blooms, and they only recall her, when bad things happen to the main characters. After Danny and Maureen overindulge in the love between them, the ending just makes things worse, because it was like adding water to the fire.

Some parts that particularly intrigue me were the chances of an accident at this scale to happen, since the first part of this book is based on a true story. I also wanted to see the cause and effects on the protagonist of this story Maureen. I wanted to see how a human could go on living with everyone hating her, and having the people that you trusted once like your family despair you.

One particular quote that stroke me was: “They say that you’re a pig for sleeping with Danny. Oh, everybody knows. Don’t you think he tells everyone? He jokes about it. They say you tried to have with the mailman. They say you lied about Bridget in your big speech at the hospital and made yourself sound like a big hero. And they hate you for it. Why were you so weak? Why didn’t you drive your own car? Why didn’t you just stay dead?” This quote summarizes the thoughts of the people that hated Maureen for killing Bridget.

One of the things that made me keep reading this book was the fact that the protagonist, is able to keep on living, and even fight and defeat the impossible odds against her. Maureen is able to transform her hatred and other ones into a new power. This transform Maureen into someone new someone stronger, who didn’t need to depend on anyone.
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May 01, 2010 Gay rated it 5 of 5 stars

My favorite book of all time. PERIOD.

Forget THE DEEP END OF THE OCEAN, Jacquelyn Mitchard should be known as the author of the legendary ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN. I would have read it in one sitting, except (thankfully, since it was 3 AM) my Kindle demanded charging.

The other books I've read and loved cannot even be mentioned in the same review. It's that good. In fact, I almost feel like I should go and subtract a star from every other book I've read, just to keep things proportional... but that w...more

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Jan 08, 2012 Shellys♥ Journal rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fiction, ya

Two teenage girls. Besties. Blond haired, green eyes, similar build. A horrific accident. One dies and one survives. But its not what they first think. Families, lives, and grief take over the lives of those who know them. How can the survivor rebuild and overcome her injuries?

I give the first half of this book a 5 star rating. I loved how the author portrayed the main character, the girl left behind - caught in her own body, but limited by her brain injury. The story unfolds with the guilt, th...more

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Nov 25, 2008 Arryn rated it 2 of 5 stars

I picked this book up for two reasons: 1. I think Jacquelyn Mitchard is a very good writer, although I've only read one of her novels previously (and lots of freelance articles); and 2. I vividly remember reading about the true incident upon which this novel is loosely based. The real-life incident involved two college students who were also good friends; they were involved in a violent car accident in which one of the girls was killed and the other was terribly injured and in a coma for over fi...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Isa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Maureen and Bridget are have been best friends forever and no one thought that could ever change. But once they get into a car crash, they have to split for awhile because one girls dead and another is in a coma. Plus the doctors mix them up! What will they do? Find out in ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN by Jacquelyn Mitchard.

I love this book for many reasons. First because its a true story, second because its really touching and third because of how its written. I think that Jacquelyn Mitchard does a ver...more

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May 24, 2010 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

Based on a dramatic true story, Bridget and Maureen are best friends but they might as well be sisters - they are alike in nearly every way. So much so that when a horrific accident claims the life of one girl and leaves the other in the coma, everyone mistakes their identities. When the survivor awakes, she is not who they expected her to be...

Of course I remember the story that this book is based on but I don't really know enough of the details to make any sort of real comparison. I would prob...more

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Oct 14, 2009 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: realistic-fiction, young-adult, 2009

Once I got over my initial disbelief over the entire plot premise, I enjoyed this book. (If I can do it for vampires, why did I have such a hard time here?)

**spoiler** although it is also listed inside the front jacket cover, so if you want to know anything about the book, this will be given away immediately...

Bridget and Maureen are best friends. They even look almost exactly alike. So when they get in a really, really bad car accident, they can't figure out which one is which. One of the girls...more

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Aug 30, 2008 Danielle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, chicklit

It was a little slow going there in the middle, but ultimately a really enjoyable, moving read. I read this one right after a five day stint in the hospital so I think I related to the main character a bit more than I would have normally.

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Aug 04, 2011 Kelly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, friendship, health-wellness-healing, love-story

Reminiscent of Picoult's The Pact (the way the parents grieve and lose their friendship) and Mitchard's Cage of Stars (the young love and obstacles in the way of that love), this story shows how a child's death disrupts an entire community. In Mitchard's capable hands, the story is (sadly) realistic, especially the drama that teens to choose to engage in when someone they know (even remotely) dies. Mitchard cleverly uses blog entries to provide some medical references and family input. I've read...more

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Jan 06, 2009 Patricia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-fiction

This is a fictional account about two teen girls who looked a lot alike who were in a car accident; one died; one was in the hospital in a coma for weeks, and then it turns out that the girl who is alive is the girl they thought was dead. Much upheaval in the families and the mother of the now-dead girl goes totally wacko and gets mean and vicious as the surviving girl struggles to get better. Very good read, and interesting for me to read about the reactions of parents to the death of a child,...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Heather rated it 2 of 5 stars

My last Mitchard - the least annoying by far, but still. There was so much potential to the story of mistaken identity about which of two best friends survived a car wreck in a coma and which one died, yet so much of this book was wasted on defending cheerleading as a sport and having the stereotype mean girl drama... this would've been a fascinating book in a better author's hands. In this case, mildly entertaining is about the best I could muster.

(At least, unlike the previous few of her book...more

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